EL7.AI
GeopoliticsMedium•1 November 2026•
4 min read

Port Workers’ Strike Spreads to 113 Ports in 22 Countries in Protest Against Arms Shipments

Key Facts

1The strike spread to 113 ports in 22 countries and was backed by more than 25 unions, according to Reuters.
2The International Transport Workers’ Federation said more than 100 ports in 17 countries took part on October 30, 2026.
3Organizers said the action could disrupt more than 40% of Mediterranean shipments and goods worth more than $2 billion.
4The No Harbour for Genocide group said the protest would halt about 52,000 containers and goods worth $2.8 billion.
5About 3,000 port workers and seafarers took part in the strike in Greece, disrupting shipping in Piraeus and stopping ferries to the islands.

Port workers went on strike and held protests at 113 ports across 22 countries on Friday, October 30, according to an estimate cited by Reuters, in an international action called by unions to oppose the transport of weapons, ammunition, military equipment and troops through civilian ports. Reuters said more than 25 unions backed the strike, while the International Transport Workers’ Federation said the action covered more than 100 ports in 17 countries. The differing figures reflect the scope of participation reported by the sources, with Reuters’ estimate exceeding the federation’s in the number of countries. Unions linked their demands to wars, including the war in Gaza, as well as workers’ pay and conditions and the expansion of automation. Union opposition was not limited to shipments bound for Israel, but extended to the transport of military equipment to conflict zones generally.

The unions’ call set out a clear position on the use of ports. The International Transport Workers’ Federation said: "Ports must not be used to transport weapons, ammunition, military equipment and troops." The head of the Piraeus Port Workers’ Union told the Associated Press that workers "do not want our ports to be hubs for the transit of military equipment, which is transported to kill people." Mediterranean ports featured prominently in the action because of their role in shipping, but unions framed their demands as a stand against the militarization of civilian facilities and wars, alongside workplace demands. Al Jazeera reported links between some ports and arms shipments to Israel, while Reuters said Italian ports, led by Genoa, had previously seen protests that disrupted shipments bound for Israel and U.S. military bases. The protests thus followed a record of port actions against arms transport, rather than a demand confined to a single destination.

The extent of disruption was unclear, with participation ranging from full-day strikes to shorter stoppages and demonstrations, according to an Associated Press report citing organizers. Before the action began, organizers told Reuters it could disrupt more than 40% of Mediterranean shipments and impede goods worth more than $2 billion; these were estimates issued by organizers before the strike. After it began, the No Harbour for Genocide group said the protest would halt about 52,000 containers and disrupt goods worth $2.8 billion. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the impact of those figures, which therefore remained estimates attributed to the group. In Greece, Reuters said shipping operations were disrupted in Piraeus and ferry services to the Greek islands stopped, with about 3,000 port workers and seafarers taking part.

Freight forwarder C.H. Robinson warned its clients of operational disruptions and possible shipment delays, with the impact varying from port to terminal depending on the level of participation. By contrast, experts cited by the Associated Press said a 24-hour strike was unlikely to significantly disrupt global trade. Perishable goods and time-sensitive shipments could be affected, even if the overall impact remained limited. A supply chain management professor said the protests were not expected to cause actual shortages. Before the strike, a spokesperson for the Port of Genoa forecast a limited impact, while the Port of Piraeus warned of disruption to ferry services to the Greek islands; Reuters also said the scale of participation and the severity of disruption were unclear at the time.

The unions drew on a broader context than the action held in October. In May 2026, port workers’ unions from more than 35 European countries issued what became known as the Istanbul Declaration, calling for port facilities not to be used to transport weapons to war zones. Reuters reported that the Greek seafarers’ union PNO said 28 attacks targeted ships in the Gulf during the first 21 days of October. The union added that 570 attacks had been confirmed in the Black Sea since the start of the year, killing 40 seafarers. Unions presented these events as context for their position on transporting military equipment through civilian ports. The action’s demands thus combined opposition to moving equipment to war zones with seafarers’ concerns about the dangers facing ships and maritime workers.